The Vampire’s Huntress

Chapter 9: Attempted Escape

His sentence confirmed it. He was ill. I determined he suffered from delusional disorder. Garrett Shard, Filton, him, and possibly others were probably in a support group or another together in childhood and related over the fact that they believed they were vampires. As their fantasy and belief grew, it became their identity and reality. Now, as adults, they are acting upon it. Taking victims, drugging them, and even drinking their blood like they were real vampires. Just to fulfill their fantasy.

I needed to escape, and he needed help. Real help. For now, until I could find my perfect opportunity, I kept asking questions.

“How did you find me in that elevator?”

He pointed to my neck. I pulled out my silver necklace.

“It’s laced with a rare perfume. You can’t smell it, but I can. Very well. I tracked you by that.”

I tried not to show my reaction to how much I was not believing his story. I knew from experience and training, if you challenge an individual with delusional disorder it could make them erratic and violent. It was imperative that, for now, I played along.

“I see, so how did you become a vampire?”

To play into his narrative, I retook my fork to eat. It wasn’t hard to force myself to finish the cinnamon rolls. They tasted delicious. Again, he watched me closely as I took each bite.

He leaned back and answered my question.

“In 1754. When I was forced to drink the blood of another vampire.”

He claimed to be 240 years old. Covin relaxed into his chair. I felt more of myself coming to life, especially having a full belly.

I lunged at him with my fork. He rolled out of his chair, dodging my attack. I threw the table on top of him as I sprinted to the front door. Throwing it open, I ran blindly into the darkened woods. There was no moon to splatter my path in light, so I just kept running, only able to see inches in front of me.

To my left, I saw a shape sprinting, faster than any animal I have ever seen. I knew it was Covin. I didn’t know how he was able to find me or catch up with me. But his figure was beating shadows in the night.

I jerked to my right and threw myself into the bushes. It was obvious I couldn’t outrun him, but perhaps I could hide. My breath came in quick succession as I held myself perfectly still despite the trembling inside of me. Each moment quickened my already racing heart. As I listened, I could hear nothing outside the normal nightly interactions of the woods. An owl hooting, the insects' nightly songs, and the occasional animal moving around in the trees. I listened attentively for the crunch of leaves or broken sticks, but nothing ever came. I clutched my hands to my chest, trying to calm my heart. I needed to think.

Slowly and carefully, I moved my hands along the ground trying to find a rock, or a jagged stick. Mingled in the dead leaves and undergrowth, I found a thick stick with rough scratchy bark. My hands slowly moved up the stick, feeling the broken ends jabbed out that could cause damage. It would do. As I started to place my hand around it, it moved out from underneath me.

My heart rate jumped. My body stiffened. Fear cratered into my chest as it seared into my legs, mind, and muscles.

A deep whispered voice spoke nearly beside me. “Adira, I knew this truth would not be easy for you to accept.”

He had found me. In the dead of night, with no moon, and no flashlight, he had found me. My breath became jagged and out of rhythm. What do I do now?

“I can hear you breathing,” he said.

He knew, and there was no escape for me. I could try fighting, but experience had shown that even in our last fight he was holding back in his speed and strength. With no visible light, I would be fighting blindly.

I said, “You need help. I know people who can help you, this is not your reality.”

There was a pause. “No, Adira, it is you that has not been living in reality.”

I knew there was no reasoning to a person who held so fiercely to their own created truth.

“What do you want with me?”

An owl hooted above me. In my ears, it sounded like a siren. A warning to leave.

“Your help not to repeat history.”

“I can’t help you. Let me go.”

Another pause. “Actually, you are the only one that can help me, and you need training.”

I closed my eyes feeling goosebumps travel up my arms in fear. I had faced murders, gone undercover in high risk situations, arrested countless ruthless individuals who were the purest of evil in society, I had watched my own mother die in front of my eyes, but nothing compared to the fear I felt now knowing I had been kidn*pped and was powerless.

Adrenaline pounded through me. I shot through the bushes and tackled Covin. He fell hard to the ground. My first punch landed across his jaw. He blocked the others until he was able to grab my wrist, jerk it underneath me and use his other arm against my neck to shove me off. I hit the side of my shoulder on a rock. As the figure came over me, I kicked him hard in the chest, pushing me onto my back.

His recovery was quick, too quick. In the darkness, I could see his eyes become a gold color. I remembered those eyes, the same eyes I saw in the abandoned warehouse. He came, and I rolled away from him until I could have enough time to get onto my hands and knees. My muscles were giving out, no doubt to the remnants of the gas I had inhaled in the elevator.

I blindly swung in the direction he was advancing. He caught my arm, pulled me forward, and with a quick twist, he swept me off of my feet. In an instant, he had me pinned beneath him on the forest floor. His weight was carefully balanced to avoid hurting me, but at the same time not allowing for escape.

His hands pressed my wrists into the dirt, pinning them above my head. I tried to wiggle free, but he was unyielding.

“I’m trying to protect you. They will want to know why I saved you. They will be searching for you. I am your best chance at survival.”

I tried one last time. “Your mind is ill. Let me go.”

“I’m sorry, but until you believe me, I can’t let you risk yourself. You’re too important.” He shook his head. “Trust me, this will hurt me far more than it will you.”

His golden eyes contrasted against the black night. As he opened his mouth, there were two sharp white pointed teeth longer than the others. My eyes widened.

As fast as lightning, he went down onto my neck and bit it. It felt like a pinch and I struggled against him. But soon, like anesthesia, pain disappeared, and my eyes closed as darkness swept over me.